Apple Announces AirPods Update and AirPods Pro with Spatial Audio Support

Apple's annual Worldwide Developers Conference opened with a series of spectacular announcements, updating all the company's operating systems: iOS 14, iPadOS 14, watchOS 7, and tvOS 14. WWDC20 will be remembered also for the major transition for macOS and the Mac to a completely new processor architecture. This event was full of exciting announcements across all platforms, and the unveiling of a new AirPods firmware update, bringing spatial audio support for AirPods Pro.

Gaming headsets and accessories have seen a boost in demand during the first half of 2020, new research from Futuresource Consulting has shown. With social distancing measures increasing demand for communication equipment both from the virtual office and in the virtual playground, gaming headsets are one bright spot for the technology market in 2020.

The Waves Maxx suite of audio and voice modules with Waves Nx 3D audio already enhances the sound experience on millions of laptops, tablets, smartphones, smart speakers, headphones, and is available on SoCs from the world's foremost chip makers. Now, with the new Waves Nx Speakers audio technology, any music, movie, or game expands into 3D, delivering a 3D audio experience on laptops, tablets, 2-in-1s, and more without subwoofers or special formats.

Mimi Hearing Technologies, a leading company in digital hearing tests and hearing-ability-based sound personalization, has announced the acquisition of French company 3D Sound Labs, the developers of 3D Audio technologies, including a HRTF (Head-Related Transfer Function) personalization service that improves the realism of the audio listening experience. According to Mimi, 3D Sound Labs has the know-how and intellectual property to help them further enhance Mimi Defined, the company’s state-of-the-art sound personalization technology.

While Dolby is mostly recognized for licensing key audio and media processing technologies, once in a while the company doesn't hold off from venturing into its own hardware, sometimes to deliver a reference designs, other times simply to grab a new category in untapped markets. That is the case with the Dolby Conference Phone, that allows a Dolby Voice conferencing experience in meeting rooms. Now, Dolby decided to do the same in the consumer space, with Dolby Dimension, the first wireless headphones perfected for home entertainment.

Cadence Design Systems and Waves Audio announced the availability of the Waves Nx Virtual Reality Audio Technology on the Cadence Tensilica HiFi 3 DSP for Audio, Voice, and Speech. The Waves Nx solution, which delivers high-quality VR audio and true 5.1 or 7.1 surround with a minimal resource footprint, will be demonstrated at the Cadence booth at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, February 27 to March 2, 2017, in Hall 6, Stand 6L36.

French company 3D Sound Labs announced that its 3D smart audio technology is now available for all headphones thanks to the new 3D Sound One Module. 3D Sound Labs is a pioneer startup in 3D sound and its new 3D Sound One Module is the first accessory that can be simply fixed to any headphone to allow immersive 3D audio experiences. The connected module connects via Bluetooth to a smartphone running the iOPS 3D Sound Labs app or a PC with the Windows 3D Sound Labs driver.